Why I Still Love Co-Working

Why I Still Love Co-Working

I had a project recently that required me to go back through some old articles.

While I was reading (and mostly cringing at my old work), I came across a piece I’d written about co-working. Or, more accurately, it was about transitioning to an office-less office, but I’d talked a lot about my journey finding alternate workspaces, and where I’d finally landed.

At the time I was new to co-working. As a busy mum and business owner, I was looking for somewhere I could work that wasn’t the kitchen table! I needed somewhere professional, with good internet and somewhere I was welcome to spend as much or as little time as I needed to during my workday. I found that at my local business hub.

Now I’m a couple of years in and for all of these reasons, I’m more in love with co-corking than ever:

Community.

Whether you’re a solo business owner or work remotely as part of a larger organisation, being by yourself day in and day out gets lonely. In a co-working environment, you’re never alone. It has the buzz of an active office without being distracting.

If you want to socialise, there are communal areas like the kitchen and lounge area that provide spaces to relax and connect with the other people working around you. And in general, it feels as though you are part of something bigger.

Networking without networking.

You never know who you will meet. I’ve lost count of the number of suppliers and customers from the hub, who have come and gone through our ‘doors’.

Being a part of that community provides accessibility, a certain level of trust and the ability to grow and nurture relationships that you wouldn’t get sitting behind a keyboard.

Modern and functional facilities.

Need a boardroom or space for a meeting? You’ve got it. Like working in a neat and clean environment? You’ve got that too.

And then there’s the coffee … I love the vibe of working in cafes and still frequent my local. But when I’m working in a purpose-built space, I know I’m not taking up a table in a business that could potentially make more money during that time than I’m spending on my coffee.

I feel good.

All these things combined, community, building a network and having access to great facilities, contribute in a really positive way to my attitude and how I feel about myself professionally.

I get ‘dressed’ for work every day, which helps my sense of purpose and overall, I work with more clarity. I feel like the professional that I am.

If you’ve been thinking about co-working give it a try, particularly if you’re someone who spends a lot of time working from home or in an isolated environment.

Getting away from my kitchen table was one of the best things I did for my productivity and mental health.

A self-confessed Small Business junkie, graphic designer and writer Lee, has played a role in the start-up and development of multiple businesses across a range of industries. This has given her a unique global perspective into the world of business, and particularly design and content marketing.
Now, as Lee and her husband Richard raise their young family and manage their growing portfolio of businesses, she is on a mission to share their experiences with brutal honesty, and offer some perspective on the sometimes glamorised world of entrepreneurial families.